Tuesday...

We spent the weekend in the Black Hills of South Dakota - one day w/ fair weather, one wet day, and one (the last) beautiful. We got back in time to see about three seconds worth of the eclipse as the sun dropped below the clouds and disappeared behind the mountains. We went up to the Hills for one of our favorite SCA events (some pictures coming later) and also paused on the way back to do a little wine tasting and take some train pictures.



I even got a little work done on the Druid's Son book on my laptop - going to have to revise some bits, but I think the result will be much better. I spent a good chunk of yesterday reading about the Coligny Calendar and trying to get my head around a purely lunar way of measuring time... much more appropriate to the story, but a real mental challenge initially!

Saturday...

No post yesterday because I was traveling. The weather was gray then; it's clear this morning, but may not stay that way. Spring is farther advanced here; trees beginning to blossom out, daffodils in the ditches, and green grass everywhere. A well watered land, this, and the weather's cool but mild. Yesterday's gusty wind has dropped, which should make it better weather for walking.

-GRG

Although this one is in England...

One of the stones in the biggest circle at Stanton Drew, about 15 miles east of Bristol Airport. The black and white object in the middle distance is a guardian cow.

-GRG

back from Wales...

...and I actually got some work done on #4 during the hours on the plane. Continental now has power outlets under the seats, which is brilliant - no battery worries! I added a page to the current chapter, changed its title, and now feel I'm back on track. If only I didn't have to go back to the Day Job tomorrow... oh well.

The first week in Wales I spent in Caerdydd, on a Welsh language course. Tutor was good, and I feel I made real progress (I'm in the nearly-fluent level). We finished up the week at the National Eisteddfod, where I bought - surprise! - a few books. The second week I wandered around, partly in England (Gloucestershire) and partly in Wales (Black Mountains), researching sites for #5. This was out of order, but since I had the opportunity to take the language course in Wales with a group I usually join every other year in North America, I couldn't resist. However, I'm glad to get back to work on the Irish book. I've changed the trilogy name slightly, from Gwernin's Quest to Gwernin's Quests, as I think this middle trilogy is not so closely linked as one quest would imply.

Pictures later.

(edited to add: one of the places I stayed... and another)
-GRG